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In two months, voters in the Buckeye Valley school district will consider an income-tax increase
and bond issue that would pay for a new, central elementary school and pump money into the Delaware
County school system.

But even some parents in the small group campaigning for the issue say there are more questions
than answers, such as what a new school would look like and cost, and what would happen to the old
buildings.

Voters are being asked to approve a five-year, quarter-percent income-tax increase generating
$1.2 million for operating expenses, and a 3.5-mill bond issue that would raise $30 million for the
new building. The bond issue would cost homeowners an extra $107 annually per $100,000 of
value.

It’s the district’s second request in a year. Last fall, voters rejected a half-percent
income-tax increase by a 2-1 ratio.

A centralized campus, which would save about $1 million annually, makes sense, said parent and
committee member Vic Whitney. But it won’t be easy to persuade voters.

“It’s a complicated sales job,” Whitney said, one that the district doesn’t have much time to do
before an Aug. 7 special election.

For many who value their community schools, the outcome in August is a lose-lose situation for
the 2,400-student district. If the tax issue passes, North Elementary in Radnor Township stays open
for a few years but eventually will close and merge with the two other district elementary schools
in a new building. If the tax issue is defeated, the district remains in a $1.3 million budget
hole, and North will close two weeks later, its students split between East and West
elementaries.

Board President Tom Sheppard acknowledged that the scenarios make the request a tougher sell. “
But we have to take a districtwide approach on it,” he said. “Going with one elementary (school) is
both financially and educationally the correct thing to do.”

Some think that the board needs to pull the ballot question and place it on the November ballot.
Holding an election in August, when the Buckeye Valley issue is the only one on the ballot, will
cost the district $42,000, compared with $2,000 in the fall. The district has a $21 million annual
budget.

Board member Tom Kaelber said he’d favor pushing back the income-tax increase to November and
the new-school issue to next year after conducting a community survey. “People aren’t hopping onto
the bandwagon here since it came from the administration,” he said. “They want to feel
ownership."

Sheppard said he doesn’t plan to call a meeting to delay the issue.

Jeff White, chairman of the current campaign and the previous one, said he isn’t concerned about
the district’s chances. He said people are just wary because they’re unfamiliar with the issue.

“Our role is to give an answer to each of those questions and make them confident that when they
vote, they know they’re doing the right thing in passing the school issue,” he said.

But even some who are supposed to sell the tax issue aren’t totally on board. Dan Kinkelaar, a
Radnor parent on the campaign committee, said the group needs a solid plan.

“We need to know if we’re Custer going in there for our last stand,” he said. “Are we going to
go in and get killed, because we don’t have a good message or presentation?”